Digging the ground to discover the most expensive treasure on the planet: A country 'hit it rich' because it owns 90% of the world's reserves

This country owns up to 90% of the global reserves. A small bean-sized stone costs up to 255 million VND.

Opal, also known as cat's eye or cat's eye stone , is one of the most expensive and beautiful gemstones in the world. But even with an investment of tens of thousands of dollars, miners may not be able to find a single gemstone, especially black opal . So what makes black opal so hard to find and so expensive?

Black opal is a mysterious stone . It is sought after because of its infinite colors. Compared to regular opal which has only one color, black opal sparkles with many different colors, contrasting with the dark background of the stone.

Common opal and black opal.

Opals are formed when silica in groundwater solidifies over millions of years, forming brightly colored opals. Each opal is unique in its color. And each time we look at it, we can see colors we have never seen before.

Opal is found in several places around the world, including Ethiopia, Brazil and Mexico. But more than 90% of the world's opal comes from Australia. A lot of the black opal is found at Lightning Ridge. This area is on the edge of the Australian outback, with a population of just over 2,000 people.

Miners have been searching for this treasure for over 100 years. But even for the most professional, finding black opal is not easy.

A miner named Frederick said that a 40-year miner and a one-day beginner have the same chance. Because no one knows for sure whether the land they are looking for will contain treasure or not.

Miners begin mining by drilling a vertical shaft in an area where they think opal is located. They then have to clear away the rock and soil to create an underground chamber large enough to begin digging.

The excavated clay is dumped into a truck and taken to a lake in town to be washed for opal. Mining equipment and registration fees are extremely expensive. If someone really wants to try it seriously, they need to have $100,000 to $150,000 in their pocket. But buying the equipment does not guarantee that they will find black opal.

Once the rough opal is mined and filtered from the ground, the stone must be cut and polished. This is where the true value of the stone is determined.

A black opal can cost anywhere from around $1,000 per carat for a common stone to $10,000 or more for a fine stone. Color, luster, and pattern can all affect the price of a black opal.

More than 90% of the world's opal comes from Australia.

The best quality black opal will have a bright color, with as much red and other colors as possible. Therefore, the most expensive black opal is one that has a bright red glow against a black background. This color is extremely rare.

Limited supply is also a big factor driving up the price of black opal . Currently, demand for this gemstone is rarely met. As soon as a stone is found, it has a buyer.

Between 2005 and 2006, Australia mined about $30 million worth of opal at Lightning Ridge. For fans of black opal, there is no other place to find it. It is a magical stone, a beauty that captivates everyone who looks at it.